General Assembly

Distr. GENERAL

4 February 1997

ORIGINAL:
ENGLISH

Fifty-first session
Agenda item 124
RESOLUTION ADOPTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
[on the report of the Fifth Committee (A/51/740)]
51/213. Financing of the United Nations Angola
Verification Mission
The General Assembly,
Having considered the reports of the Secretary-General on the
financing of the United Nations Angola Verification Mission, 1/ the
related report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and
Budgetary Questions 2/ and the related comments and observations in
the reports of the Office of Internal Oversight Services 3/ and the
Board of Auditors, 4/
Bearing in mind Security Council resolutions 626 (1988) of 20
December 1988, by which the Council established the United Nations
Angola Verification Mission, 696 (1991) of 30 May 1991, by which the
Council decided to entrust a new mandate to the United Nations Angola
Verification Mission (thenceforth called the United Nations Angola
Verification Mission II), 976 (1995) of 8 February 1995, by which the
Council authorized the establishment of a peacekeeping operation
(thenceforth called the United Nations Angola Verification Mission
III) and its subsequent resolutions, the latest of which was
resolution 1087 (1996) of 11 December 1996, in which the Council
extended the mandate of the Verification Mission until 28 February
1997,
Recalling its resolution 43/231 of 16 February 1989 on the
financing of the Verification Mission and its subsequent resolutions
and decisions thereon, the latest of which was resolution 50/209 B of
7 June 1996,
Reaffirming that the costs of the Verification Mission are
expenses of the Organization to be borne by Member States in
accordance with Article 17, paragraph 2, of the Charter of the United
Nations,
Recalling its previous decisions regarding the fact that, in
order to meet the expenditures caused by the Verification Mission, a
different procedure is required from that applied to meet expenditures
of the regular budget of the United Nations,
Taking into account the fact that the economically more developed
countries are in a position to make relatively larger contributions
and that the economically less developed countries have a relatively
limited capacity to contribute towards such an operation,
Bearing in mind the special responsibilities of the States
permanent members of the Security Council, as indicated in General
Assembly resolution 1874 (S-IV) of 27 June 1963, in the financing of
such operations,
Mindful of the fact that it is essential to provide the
Verification Mission with the necessary financial resources to enable
it to fulfil its responsibilities under the relevant resolutions of
the Security Council,
Concerned that the Secretary-General continues to face
difficulties in meeting the obligations of the Verification Mission on
a current basis, including reimbursement to current and former troop-
contributing States,
1. Takes note of the status of contributions to the United
Nations Angola Verification Mission as at 10 December 1996, including
the contributions outstanding in the amount of 127,520,046 United
States dollars, representing 23 per cent of the total assessed
contributions from the inception of the Verification Mission to the
period ending 11 December 1996, notes that some 19 per cent of the
Member States have paid their assessed contributions in full, and
urges all other Member States concerned, in particular those in
arrears, to ensure the payment of their outstanding assessed
contributions;
2. Expresses concern about the financial situation with regard
to peacekeeping activities, in particular as regards the reimbursement
of troop contributors, which bear burdens owing to overdue payments by
Member States of their assessments;
3. Expresses its appreciation to those Member States which have
paid their assessed contributions in full;
4. Urges all other Member States to make every possible effort
to ensure the payment of their assessed contributions to the
Verification Mission in full and on time;
5. Endorses the observations and recommendations contained in
the report of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary
Questions; 2/
6. Requests the Secretary-General to take all necessary action
to ensure that the Verification Mission is administered with a maximum
of efficiency and economy;
7. Also requests the Secretary-General to take all necessary
action to address relevant findings and to implement the relevant
recommendations of the Advisory Committee, the Office of Internal
Oversight Services and the Board of Auditors in respect of the
Verification Mission;
8. Decides to appropriate the amount of 137,978,400 dollars
gross (134,980,800 dollars net) for the maintenance of the
Verification Mission for the period from 1 July 1996 to 30 June 1997,
inclusive of the amount of 4,048,400 dollars for the support account
for peacekeeping operations, in addition to the amount of 170,118,500
dollars gross (166,984,100 dollars net) already appropriated for the
period from 1 July to 31 December 1996 under the provisions of General
Assembly resolution 50/209 B;
9. Decides also, as an ad hoc arrangement, to apportion the
amount of 137,978,400 dollars gross (134,980,800 dollars net) for the
period from 1 July 1996 to 30 June 1997 among Member States at a
monthly rate of 22,996,400 dollars gross (22,496,800 dollars net)
beginning 1 January 1997, in accordance with the composition of groups
set out in paragraphs 3 and 4 of General Assembly resolution 43/232 of
1 March 1989, as adjusted by the Assembly in its resolutions 44/192 B
of 21 December 1989, 45/269 of 27 August 1991, 46/198 A of 20 December
1991, 47/218 A of 23 December 1992, 49/249 A of 20 July 1995, 49/249 B
of 14 September 1995 and 50/224 of 11 April 1996 and its decisions
48/472 A of 23 December 1993 and 50/451 B of 23 December 1995, and
taking into account the scale of assessments for the year 1997, as set
out in its resolution 49/19 B of 23 December 1994 and its decision
50/471 A of 23 December 1995, subject to the decision of the Security
Council to extend the mandate of the Verification Mission beyond 28
February 1997;
10. Decides further that, in accordance with the provisions of
its resolution 973 (X) of 15 December 1955, there shall be set off
against the apportionment among Member States, as provided for in
paragraph 9 above, their respective share in the Tax Equalization Fund
of the additional estimated staff assessment income of 2,997,600
dollars approved for the period from 1 July 1996 to 30 June 1997;
11. Decides that, for Member States that have fulfilled their
financial obligations to the Verification Mission, there shall be set
off against their apportionment, as provided for in paragraph 9 above,
their respective share in the unencumbered balance of 20,790,900
dollars gross (20,639,700 dollars net) for the period from 9 February
to 31 December 1995;
12. Decides also that, for Member States that have not fulfilled
their financial obligations to the Verification Mission, their share
of the unencumbered balance of 20,790,900 dollars gross (20,639,700
dollars net) for the period from 9 February to 31 December 1995 shall
be set off against their outstanding obligations;
13. Invites voluntary contributions to the Verification Mission
in cash and in the form of services and supplies acceptable to the
Secretary-General, to be administered, as appropriate, in accordance
with the procedure established by the General Assembly in its
resolutions 43/230 of 21 December 1988, 44/192 A of 21 December 1989
and 45/258 of 3 May 1991;
14. Decides to keep under review during its fifty-first session
the agenda item entitled "Financing of the United Nations Angola
Verification Mission".
89th plenary meeting
18 December 1996
Notes
1/ A/51/494 and Add.1 and 2.
2/ A/51/700 and Corr.1.
3/ See A/51/432, annex.
4/ Official Records of the General Assembly, Fifty-first Session,
Supplement No. 5 (A/51/5), vol. II.

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